$176-250 – Happy Gringo Travel

calendly

phone

Call us toll free: US & CA 1-800-269-0216

Hightlights of Mandari Panga Lodge

 

  • The biggest pull of Mandari Panga Lodge is its wonderful location nestled within Ecuador’s pristine Yasuni National Park. It is one of just 2 lodges that can boast this distinction.
  • Mandari Panga is an intimate camp with safari-style tents – a truly unique way to experience the Amazon rainforest. Common areas have been artfully constructed on local-styled platforms with thatched roofs, providing both comfort and a genuine connection with the environment.
  • A visit to Mandari Panga Lodge offers flexibility in tour type, including Nature & Culture (4 days), bird watching (6 days), and photo safari (6 days). Itineraries are also quite flexible during the trip – your guide will do everything possible to adapt the trip to your desires.
  • Small group capacity (maximum of 8) at Mandari Panga means you’ll receive personalized attention during each jungle activity.
  • What’s more, your visit to Mandari Panga makes an essential contribution to improving the quality of life for the people in the local community to improve education and health care for the residents of this remote area.

Mandari Panga Lodge

Itineraries and pricing 2024

Browse through the different itineraries below by clicking on each one.

  • $790Per person
 

NATURE & CULTURE

  • Day 1 Journey to Mandari Panga – 3 hour journey to the camp by road and canoe. At the lodge, enjoy a welcome drink & lunch. Afternoon walk in the forest on the Ceibo trail. After dinner enjoy a night hike in search of frogs, snakes, and other wildlife that only emerges after dark. .
  • Day 2 Wildlife spotting by canoe, and trek on the Spider monkey trail. In the afternoon we can learn about local culture and traditions, and the importance of sustainability. See firsthand how the area's indigenous people have lived in harmony with the environment for centuries. Finally, we'll learn about the process of making chocolate from cacao seeds.
  • Day 3 Huangana trail trek through spectacular virgin jungle, finishing at a lagoon where, with luck, we might spot an anaconda. After lunch a free afternoon to relax in hammocks, or swim in in a tranquil tributary of the Tiputini river. In the evening, we'll visit La Casa de la Abuela, the home of the community's founder to learn about the community's history and traditions. We can also enjoy a sunset with panoramic views.
  • Day 4 Return to Coca – After an early breakfast it’s time to head home. A journey by canoe and road returns us to Coca, ready for your onward transportation.
  • TOUR START DAYS: Mondays, Thursdays

NOTE: These are SAMPLE ITINERARIES only – activities on each trip may vary. Your guide will also try to adapt the activities to the desires and capabilities of each group.

Full itinerary is under construction. Please ask our sales team for updated information.

Full ItineraryFull Itinerary Request free quote
  • $1690Per person
 

BIRD WATCHING (Private Tour)

  • Day 1 Journey to Mandari Panga – 3 hour journey to the camp by road and canoe. At the lodge, enjoy a welcome drink & lunch. Afternoon walk in the forest on the Ceibo trail. After dinner enjoy a night hike in search of frogs, snakes, and other wildlife that only emerges after dark.
  • Day 2-5 Each day's activities will be planned the night before, based on weather conditions, bird activity, sightings, and current hotspots known by the local guides. Your guide can adjust the itinerary depending on your specific birding interests. This area has different environments: terra firme and igapo forest, black water lagoons, and white water rivers.
  • Parrot clay-lick. There is one clay-lick close to the campsite and another close the community center. Birds are usually more active early in the morning; we will leave the camp around 5 am to visit either of these sites. There are various types of parrots, like the Orange-cheeked Parrot.
  • El Moretal. This site is just crossing a small river from the camp. Morete is a type of palm tree, and local refers to Moretal to a lowland flooded forest composed by this palm. This hike is near or in swamp areas. This ecosystem is a perfect area to see birds during the day, like the Long-tailed potoo.
  • Tiputini river. This river flows west to east and passes all the Yasuni National Park. Birding here is nice and relaxing. This is an excellent opportunity to see swallows, kiskadees, kingfishers, woodpeckers, potoos, and others. If we are lucky, we might see river dolphins.
  • Blackwater lagoons. There are a few of these in this area. We can find hoatzins, herons, pigeons, tanagers, swallows, and others. And with some luck, the giant otter. This is a mixed activity, hiking and canoeing.
  • Trails by the camp. One trail (Peccary trail) starts just back of the restaurant, and another two trails are crossing the Tiputini River and the Yutzuyacu River from the camp. Most are loop trails with options of length. Most of the time it is not necessary to walk long distances to observe a good variety of birds.
  • Day 6 Return to Coca – After an early breakfast it’s time to head home. A journey by canoe and road returns us to Coca, ready for your onward transportation.
  • TOUR START DAYS: Tuesdays

NOTE: These are SAMPLE ITINERARIES only – activities on each trip may vary. Your guide will also try to adapt the activities to the desires and capabilities of each group.

Full itinerary is under construction. Please ask our sales team for updated information.

Full ItineraryFull Itinerary Request free quote
  • $2510Per person
 

PHOTO SAFARI (Private Tour)

  • Day 1 JJourney to Mandari Panga – 3 hour journey to the camp by road and canoe. At the lodge, enjoy a welcome drink & lunch. Afternoon walk in the forest on the Ceibo trail. After dinner enjoy a night hike in search of frogs, snakes, and other wildlife that only emerges after dark.
  • Day 2-5 Each day's activities will be planned the night before, based on weather conditions, animal activity & sightings, and current hotspots known by the local guides. Your guide can adjust the itinerary depending on your specific photographic interests.
  • This area has different environments: terra firme and igapo forest, black water lagoons, and white water rivers.
  • Parrot clay-lick. There are various types of parrots, like the Orange-cheeked Parrot. On route we may also spot toucans, trogons, or amazing insects.
  • El Moretal. Morete is a type of palm tree, and local refers to Moretal to a lowland flooded forest composed by this palm. This hike is near or in swamp areas. This ecosystem is a perfect area to photograph amphibians at night as well as some rare species of birds during the day, like the Long-tailed potoo.
  • Tiputini river. This river flows west to east and passes all the Yasuni National Park. Photography is mainly done from the canoe with a couple of stops at river beaches. This is an excellent opportunity to see swallows, kiskadees, kingfishers, woodpeckers, potoos, and others. If we are lucky, we might see river dolphins.
  • Blackwater lagoon. We can find hoatzins, herons, pigeons, tanagers, swallows, and others. And with some luck, the giant otter. This is a mixed activity, hiking and canoeing.
  • Casa de la Abuela. We will visit the "grandmother"; this is an excellent opportunity to photograph the daily life of a kichwa family, their customs, and activities. Many birds can be observed and photographed from here as oropendolas, tanagers, trogons, and a tin of different invertebrates as insects in the area. Possibility of going out for a walk from the grandma's house to the camp doing some photography, on the way we will be able to see more wildlife.
  • Trails by the camp. One trail (Peccary trail) starts just back of the restaurant, and another two trails are crossing the Tiputini River and the Yutzuyacu River from the camp. Most are loop trails with three options of length. Lots of birds and insects as grasshoppers, katydids, spiders, and some frogs.
  • Day 6 Return to Coca – After an early breakfast it’s time to head home. A journey by canoe and road returns us to Coca, ready for your onward transportation.
  • TOUR START DAYS: Thursdays

Other itineraries are also available, including: Kayaking 5days, Adventure camping Itinerary 5days, Culinary Experience 4days, Cleansing 4days, Herping 6days.

NOTE: These are SAMPLE ITINERARIES only – activities on each trip may vary. Your guide will also try to adapt the activities to the desires and capabilities of each group.

Full itinerary is under construction. Please ask our sales team for updated information.

Full ItineraryFull Itinerary Request free quote

Amazon Tours Specifications

Inclusions

  • Transportation Coca – Mandari Panga – Coca
  • Bilingual and native guide (or specialist birding / photography guide on those itineraries)
  • Activities as listed in each itinerary
  • Accommodation in tents complete with mattress and bedding
  • Use of rubber boots for hikes, life jacket for canoe travel
  • Three meals a day (starting with lunch on the first day through to breakfast on the final day)
  • Purified water, tea, & coffee
  • Discount for kids under 12 traveling with 2 adults: 30%. Kids under 6 travel free.

Exclusions

  • Transportation Quito – Coca – Quito
  • Additional beverages and snacks; extra meals in Coca before and after the tour
  • Rain ponchos (can be purchased in Coca before the tour if needed; highly recommended for adequate protection from heavy Amazon rains)
  • Single Supplement 30% (or 0% if willing to share a tent with another traveler of same gender)
  • Tips
  • Personal Expenses
  • Travel insurance

Access - transportation

  • The tour begins in the jungle town of Coca. To get to Coca from Quito it’s possible to fly (aprox $250-280 return per person), travel by overnight public bus (aprox $12 per person), or use the shared taxi service provided by the lodge ($40 per person).
  • From Coca, we begin our journey to the lodge by road, 40 minutes along a paved highway, then 50 minutes along a dirt road. Next, we board a motorized canoe for 90 minutes to the Mandari Panga camp. The total travel time is about 3 hours.

Accommodation and facilities

  • cabinsSafari Style Tents: twin, double
  • private bathroomPrivate bathroom: No, shared
  • showersShowers: Yes – cold water.
  • electricityElectricity: from 18:00 to 22:00 only
  • bootsBoots: Provided by lodge staff

Our tents are set up on large sheltered elevated platforms, built with traditional techniques and elements, complete with a chair and a hammock for relaxing during your stay. 5 tents have a view of the Tiputini River, and 3 have a view of the Yutzuyacu River.

Filtered water is used for cooking, and large bottles of purified water are available for drinking and to refill water bottles.

2G and 3G signal from CLARO cellphone provider is available atop a nearby hill (15 minute walk). A satellite phone is available for emergencies.

Inclusions

Standard departure days are:

  • NATURE & CULTURE: Mondays, Thursdays
  • BIRD WATCHING (Private Tour): Tuesdays
  • PHOTO SAFARI (Private Tour): Thursdays
  • The times and length of the hikes are flexible and defined by the guide the day before. The guide may modify the plan on any particular day based on weather, wildlife activity, recent sighting information, and other factors.

    What Our Clients Say

    Leave us a review

    Testimonials form

    ×
    Close
    Close

    Subscribe

    * indicates required